Karakuri Circus

Both of you, stop!

Mr. Masaru!

For yourself... right?

That's right. It's for myself.

Before dawn, when the stars paint the sky

I am searching for the thing I lost

With a restless heart Under the sun yet in the dark

I patch together little prayers to light my path

I don't need anything, as my hands are full

My hands are full of emptiness

Please, just once, nod for me

Just once, reach out to me like the mirror

I will live for that single moment, that single second

All the rest can just burn away

What's right for me is for me alone

Whatever the path, I'll follow it to you

This feeling grows and grows, deep inside my heart

For one single reason

I continue to climb up on the stage

#2 Promise

Hey there beautiful, you did a great job beating up my puppet.

But you're out of luck this time.

Pulcinella's strength and construction are in a completely different league.

I don't know if you're after his money or what, but it ain't funny.

Stand back.

-You keep out of this. -What?

Where am I?

What happened to me?

Shirogane, Narumi!

I'll give you plenty of good oil once you kill the boy, Pulcinella.

Our client will pay us heartily for that.

Client? Who hired you?

Stand back. I'll protect Mr. Masaru.

By myself.

How wonderful. I usually only get to kill humans.

It'll be nice to fight a puppet for a change.

Here we go, one on one!

I see you're quick.

But take this!

Shirogane!

This punch has the force to demolish concrete walls.

Impossible! What is this puppet?

Get back!

It can't move? Unbelievable.

Her puppet's holding Pulcinella down with just one hand.

You see, Mr. Masaru?

This is what your grandfather's Arlequin can do.

Les Arts Martiaux!

Damn it. Defend yourself!

Swirling Tiger!

What the... It's on a whole different level.

But...

Shirogane!

Mr. Masaru!

You... What a dirty trick!

Exactly. We live in a dirty world, beautiful.

I assume it's obvious, but one wrong move and...

I was too busy fighting and didn't notice them.

It's all my fault.

Sorry, but it's all a part of my job.

Do it.

This ain't funny, you jerks.

-You...! -Take this!

I'm out of luck today.

We'll meet again.

-Wait for us! -Damn it!

You okay, Masaru?

I couldn't win. Not on my own.

What's going on... What happened here?

This is just...

You really banged this place up.

A man can't get a night's sleep here.

I'm sorry. It's all my fault.

The train, and now this hospital...

I mess up everything I touch.

But I don't know what to do...

Masaru. First up, stop crying.

And then, laugh.

How could I laugh now?

You did nothing wrong. Besides...

if you don't laugh, I'll die.

What do you mean?

Physiological dysfunction caused by third party parasympathetic dominance.

ZONAPHA syndrome...

Yeah, I got it too.

Just like my old Grandpops.

A disease?

It's not contagious!

Miss.

Humans have a sympathetic nervous system and a parasympathetic nervous system.

When the parasympathetic nervous system is dominant, people are relaxed.

ZONAPHA syndrome is where the body is affected by the parasympathetic nerves.

What do you mean?

When the body senses that people close by aren't relaxed, it causes an attack.

When that happens, the trachea contracts, causing breathing difficulties.

Excruciating pain is felt in every nerve.

Damn it, it's starting.

What if you approach someone who's already laughing?

No, that doesn't work for some reason.

I have to make them laugh. Uh-oh, it's getting worse.

Is it funny?

Nah, sorry.

Miss?

I've never been someone who laughs a lot.

Bah, you guys are useless.

I'm going out to make someone laugh.

Narumi!

Leave him alone, Mr. Masaru.

But he's the one that saved us.

I might not be able to do much,

but I want to help him in return.

Laugh...

Laugh...!

How's this? Will this make you laugh?

Then, how about this?

Laugh! Don't run away!

Somebody, help!

Speak up. How can I make you laugh?

I'll do whatever you say.

Come on!

Idiot!

How can they laugh when you're scaring them?

She's right. I'd panicked from the pain.

Mr. Masaru came looking for you because he was worried.

You don't deserve it!

-But... -No "buts"!

What's going on?

Maybe they're comedians, putting on an impromptu act.

Yeah, she's dressed weird.

-But... -No duck faces either.

All right, get him girl.

Come on, man.

That was close...

Good for you, Narumi.

You two are a perfect match.

I do not want to be a perfect match with him.

Yeah, same here.

Narumi.

I'm sorry you had to bring me here.

It's nothing. They might come for you again if you go home.

But jeez, who's behind all this anyways?

Do you think it could be a relative?

I don't know.

I only became a part of the Saiga family 3 years ago.

I haven't met all my relatives.

3 years ago? But you're Saiga's son, right?

But my mom was what they call a "mistress."

Where did you learn that word?

I used to live alone with my mom when I was little.

She used to work hard for little money every day.

When she died, a lawyer came to take me away.

That's when I first met Dad.

The Saiga family took me in after that.

Hey, Narumi?

How much does a proper grave cost?

Huh? I don't really know.

I wasn't at all interested in the inheritance.

I just wanted...

to build Mom a grave.

What's wrong, Narumi?

Nothing.

Here you are.

Damn it.

How am I supposed to act around him after hearing that?

Eat up, Masaru.

Fix those wounds with nutrition.